Police Impersonator Arrested for Trying to Extort Money from Pedophiles

[Gaybutton]

Unnnnnnnnnnnbelievable! This just keeps getting better and better. I promise you, I don't make these things up.

 

The following appears in the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS:

 

for photos, see: http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000009467

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PATTAYA - Thai Man Accused of Impersonating Police and Extorting Money From Paedophiles

 

At 1:00 pm on the 12th June 2009 Pattaya police announced the arrest of a Thai man for impersonating a police official and extorting money from a suspected paedophile.

 

Police Major General Koson Paowes, Police Lieutenant Colonel Greetha Tunkanaruk and Police Lieutenant Colonel Ormsin Sook Karnkah of the Children, Juvenile and Women Division Region 2 together with Mr. Supagon Noja of the Pattaya-based Child Protection and Development Centre revealed that they had arrested Mr. Bancha or Kung Wansanor [39] from Rayong, with warrant no. 559/2522 issued by the Pattaya court on 11th June.

 

Major General Koson said, that on 24th May 2009, he was informed by Mr. Tunwa [22] and Mr. Peter [alias], a foreign national, that Mr. Bancha or Kung Wansanor and an accomplice had visited Mr. Peter at his home. They were wearing black uniforms and claimed they were members of the Pattaya police.

 

They told Mr. Peter they had received reports that he had taken young boys back to his house to have sex on a regular basis. They said they had photos and videos as evidence and if Mr. Peter wanted to avoid arrest he would have to pay them 140,000 baht.

 

The two victims were scared and agreed to pay the money but bargained a reduction to 120,000 baht. They withdrew the money at Big-C, North Pattaya and made an appointment to make the pay-off at a parking lot in the Jomtien area. As the money was paid to Mr. Bancha, Mr. Tunwa secretly made a video of the transaction on his mobile phone. Armed with this evidence Mr. Tunwa and Mr. Peter reported the incident to Police Lieutenant Colonel Ekadit Srimoon at the Dongtan police station.

 

The police managed to arrest Mr. Bancha at the traffic light intersection of Central Pattaya Road and Sukhumvit Road. Mr. Bancha confessed that he had worked with Mr. Sitthitham or Joe Walaisri [33], from Ubon Ratchatan, pretending to be police officers extorting money from foreigners who liked to have sex with young boys. He said he had gained his expertise from previously working with the police and had information on elderly foreign men who liked to pick up young boys from the Sunee Plaza area in South Pattaya. Police filed his case and would bring him and his accomplice to justice.

 

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One hour later, at 2.00 pm on the same day, the same police team arrested a foreign man after a parent of a 13 year-old-boy had claimed that her son was tricked into having sex with him at the foreigner’s house. The suspect denied the accusation.

 

Police used warrant no. 566/2522 from the Pattaya court to arrest Mr. Johan Sven Ove Tanglars [36], at his house in Soi Bongai, Moo. 10, Nongprue, Banglamung charged with having sex with a child under 15. Mr. Tanglars was frightened to face the reporters and refused to leave the house.

 

To start with Mr. Tanglars denied the charges but after being questioned he told police that he was kidnapped by a group of Thai men who said they were police officers and demanded 300,000 baht for his release. Mr. Tanglars offered them only 90,000 baht which his captors accepted and let him free.

 

On hearing his story, the police team showed Mr. Tanglars the photos of Mr. Bancha, who had previously been arrested in the case reported above. Mr. Tanglars said that the photo was of the same man who had kidnapped him.

 

Police said they would now investigate Mr. Bancha more and Mr. Tanglars would be brought to justice and his embassy would be notified.

 

[Guest lvdkeyes]

It sounds to me like both farang had something to hide or they would not have paid the money.

[Guest laurence]

False confessions and false accusations are quite common. Just the fear of being targeted is enough to make one "pay up". What would you do "when they come for you?"

[Guest lvdkeyes]

What would you do "when they come for you?"

Since I don't engage in these activities, the chances are lessened that they "will come for me," but if they did I would go to the police station and not agree to pay some thug on the street.

[Gaybutton]

What would you do "when they come for you?"

What would you do? Pay them?

[Guest laurence]

What would you do? Pay them?

 

"What would you do when they come for you?" is a rhetorical question without the expectation of a reply. Point is, no one really knows what they would actually do if accused falsely of a crime or misdeed. In the cases sited in this thread it seems one person panicked and another had the foresight to make a video of the transaction. Oftentimes, when questioned/pressured by the police, innocent people do incriminate themselves and are unjustly imprisioned.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Oftentimes, when questioned/pressured by the police, innocent people do incriminate themselves and are unjustly imprisioned.

This were not actually police. That's why I said I would go to the police station.

 

 

"Point is, no one really knows what they would actually do if accused falsely of a crime or misdeed."

 

I do know what I would actually do.

[PattayaMale]

In reading the story posted, I wonder if it is the same "13 year old boy" whose mother keeps going to the police.

 

According to a poll of Thais recently, the police were judged to be very corrupt.

 

Going to the police if you are set up by police usually has bad results..........something about a thin brown line

[Guest laurence]

For those of you who may not be familar with American TV programs, there is one "COPS" which begins with a little ditty, "Bad Boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do when they come for you". Most of them run; of course they are all as guilty as sin, not like the rest of us. Please don't read too much into my comments, they are only went as entertainment and don't necessary reflect the opinions nor actual positon of this poster.

[Gaybutton]

Please don't read too much into my comments, they are only went as entertainment and don't necessary reflect the opinions nor actual position of this poster.

Ok, then what is your actual position?

 

I'll agree I can't really know what I would do if falsely accused of a serious crime, but what I think I would do would be to first make sure the police are really police, and refuse to answer questions until I speak with my attorney and notify my embassy. I do not think I would pay anybody to get out of something I had not done.

 

It certainly would be a frightening experience to find yourself falsely accused of a crime in a foreign country where you don't speak the language and have no idea what to expect, especially since Thailand is a "guilty until proven innocent" country.

[Guest laurence]

Ok, then what is your actual position?

 

 

But, seriously, if in the USA, it would be to invoke my Miranda rights. But, here in Thailand, I would panic if I got a knock on the door. No one wants to see a cop or impostor at his door, it can only be bad news.

 

Just reading the stories about the two farang who were falsely accused/scammed is scary. I doubt that I would immediately fork over a bundle of money but who can really say? Yes, I know, there are those who think they know what they would do. I am not one of them.

 

Slightly off topic, there is a movie, DOUBT, that explores a similar issue when someone is confronted with questionable allegations. Has to do with a Catholic priest and a nun (the principle of a high school) and a young male student. Top class film.